Putu and Family - Unique Bali Life Struggles

 

I Met a Charming, Sweet Balinese Girl.

She  always called me “Mom”

while I frequented  a sea side restaurant in Lovina 15 years ago.

Putu was just a young teenager then and lived nearby in a tiny
rented room. But since then, she  has grown up, gotten married
to a local boy and has two children.  

 

Because she is first born, her name is “Putu”.

She married a first born boy and his name is also “Putu”
 

Their first born child is also named “Putu”.

That makes 3 Putus in the family and a bit confusing, to say
the least!
 





Putu, Putu, Putu and Made at their house.

Then came along their baby Made, a Balinese second born
child's name and thank God,  it broke the cycle of Putus.
 

Putu, (the girl who calls me Mom) and Putu (her husband)
eventually were able to by a small, basic house, with funding
help from an aunt,with the plan that she will live with them
forever.   They have a couple of chickens confined in tiny,
crate cages, a small vegetable garden and a mango fruit
tree on the property.

 

They have no furniture, except a couple of mattresses. 
However,  they do have a huge rooftop satellite dish, a flat
screen television, a 10 in Samsung Galaxy tablet used by the
daughter, a music boom box, 3 motorbikes and 3 cell
phones. Internet phone time is purchased by the minute and
can be renewed at roadside food shops.

 

If a Balinese is lucky enough to work in a busy restaurant,
it might pay up to 1,000,000 rupiahs (USA $80.00) a month. 
However, working as a driver with a car, might  be an even
better career choice, although the money is up and down,
depending on the tourist season. 

I'm told that it is easy to buy a motorbike or car, with little or
nothing down and and a commitment of high bank credit
(2.5% / month)  Many have several motorbikes, all on credit,
which of course, reeks havoc on the roads with traffic, noise and
pollution. ( and not getting any better).  Legally,  the Balinese
need a license to drive, but it is not well enforced

and believe it or not, it is not surprising to see a 10 year speed
by on the road!

 

 

Putu and baby in front of Rini Hotel, Lovina,Bali

 

Vehicle ownership on Bali is rising at an annual rate (12.42%) that

far outstrips the growth in new roads (2.28%), according to
government statistics. "Traffic will get worse and worse," I Made
Santha, Bali's traffic chief, predicted in February.

The Balinese are big on eating snacks from street carts, which are
fairly cheap and convenient.  They occasionally eat at local warungs,
as a break from the drudgery of cooking preparation.  In the photo
below, we sat on the little wooden bench and had just finished eating
Gado Gado, a popular Balinese dish.  Behind the snacks there is a
small kitchen with a hot plate for cooking.  As you can see, there was
no counter, so that means you just hold your food. Most Balinese don't
use utensils, so that is one less item to deal with.

I had never seen so many flies as there were here at this shop and it
was soooo annoying to try and protect your food.  I'm sorry, but I
couldn't help thinking about where those flies had been with their
little contaminated feet. An elderly lady had an old partially split,
crusty, fly swatter and she was literally swatting continuously at
everything, like a wild woman. At one point, to give the poor lady
a well deserved break, I took hold of the fly swatter and began my
own swatting mania.  I didn't mind killing a few flies, but it seemed
like a losing battle.   
Don't worry though...........I had no fly problems elsewhere in Bali.

 

Putu and children - assorted fried snacks at the warung, Lovina, Bali

Ceremonies may take 1 -2 hours a day for the woman, including time
to make the offerings and the time to do the rituals in their family
temple. Since there are many, many village ceremonies, it may take
days of preparations.

Still they don’t complain……There is peer pressure in the
neighborhood and besides,  it brings them  good karma.

Tourism has overburdened Bali, yet they love it and don’t realize
that in a way, it is a form of island suicide.   Massive overbuilding
and the infrastructure has not been able to keep up with the
increasing numbers of tourists and expats.

 The popular Bali proverb is,

“Goodness shouts, evil whispers,"   But money talks.